teaching writing

At the Beginning – Again

At the Beginning – Again

Walking through fog. With the headlamp on. Low. Paraphrasing a quote from E.L. Doctorow. This is what it’s like to write a novel. I keep telling myself that as I move forward, ever so slowly. These first infantile steps, as if I’ve never taken them…

Stealing Time

Stealing Time

On Friday, I finished my revisions. Again. At last. (It had better be!) No, I don’t share this fact for cheers, though I appreciate them, truly. I share it because so many of you – in my own Writers Circle classes or those of our…

An Environment of Exploration and Inspiration

An Environment of Exploration and Inspiration

by Cindy Sharra, TWC Intern As New Jersey’s prolonged winter loosened its grasp, the long-awaited summer took its place. Students from around the area parted from their schools and supplies – except from their pencils, that is. But they wouldn’t be used for writing research…

Stuff My Writing Students Say, Part 16

Stuff My Writing Students Say, Part 16

by Lisa Romeo, TWC Instructor “You’re kind of cranky. But in a good way.” Last night, the final night of an 11-week memoir and personal essay class, a writer who attended each session (despite complicating situations in her life), said this to me by way…

Autumn Brings New Authors by Isabella DeFranceschi

Autumn Brings New Authors by Isabella DeFranceschi

We are tickled that The Writers Circle is the subject of this lovely article by one of our students, Isabella DeFranceschi, who wrote it for her high school journalism class. Not only does it show a fine grasp of journalistic form, but she relates the…

The Discipline of Short Work

The Discipline of Short Work

In our last post, we invited all our students to submit short stories about our crazy new characters, Amelia, Maurice and Felix. But here, I want to take a minute to speak to many of you who – like me – like to write A…

The Writers Circle’s New Cast of Crazy Characters – and the chance to publish a story about them!

The Writers Circle’s New Cast of Crazy Characters – and the chance to publish a story about them!

It’s time to spruce a few things up here at The Writers Circle. We’ve been using our authentic antique images since 2010. Now it’s time to move into the 21st century. (Well, sort of.) Thanks to the tremendous artistic talents of our very own Amanda…

A Safe Space to Create

A Safe Space to Create

by Jake Rosati, TWC Summer Intern The second week of the Summer Intensives has begun with a great group of young writers who wasted no time diving in.  The expanse of their interests and talents is incredible — from poetry to screenwriting to fiction to…

Our Summer Intensives Are "Intense!"

Our Summer Intensives Are "Intense!"

by Daniele Walker, TWC Program Coordinator Our first week of Summer Intensives is underway. Twenty-five students, ages 10-17, are doing what they came for: writing, writing, writing.  The experience definitely has been intense so far with morning warm-ups, genre workshops with some of TWC’s finest…

Nitpicking

Nitpicking

When my son got lice a few years ago – quite common among the elementary school set – I came to appreciate the true meaning of “nitpicking”. Plucking those tiny, disgusting nits from the roots of his baby fine hair was tedious, but necessary work.…

Having the sex talk

Having the sex talk

Every writer I know disparages 50 Shades of Grey. Many, like me, will do so even without ever having read a line of the book. I mean, bestseller or not, everyone knows it’s just porn, right? But sex is, and has always been, a compelling…

Finding "This Little Light" of Mine

Finding "This Little Light" of Mine

We’re delighted to welcome children’s book author Tynia Thomassie to our teaching staff at TWC. Tynia is the author of four picture books: Feliciana Feydra LeRoux: A Cajun Tall Tale, Feliciana Meets D’Loup Garou, Cajun Through and Through and MIMI’s Tutu.  She won the Louisiana…